Experts say Joburg's failure to open public pools on Spring Day shows the municipality is facing a liquidity crisis.
The City of Joburg’s failure to open public swimming pools and other projects serves as evidence that the municipality has run out of funds.
This is according to experts after the city postponed the opening of municipal pools until 1 October – a month after the official reopening, which was yesterday, coinciding with Spring Day.
But, even then, only 36 of the 57 public pools will be brought back, and only in a staggered fashion.
To compensate citizens for the lack of access to the water, the city will extend the normal season closing date from 31 March to April next year.
Community development MMC Thapelo Amad apologised for the delay, saying the pools still needed to meet “health, safety, and operational standards” required for public amenities.
Amad said from next month, the opening of 36 public pools would be phased in, but warned the “condition and operational requirements of facilities vary across regions”.
“The city is working to resolve outstanding compliance and maintenance tasks,” he said.
DA councillor Bea Campbell-Cloete was unhappy that the pool in Blairgowrie Recreation Centre was not opened.
“It was derelict. It was dirty. It was broken. The community did fundraise about R1 million and renovated the pool. They painted the pool and fixed the bathrooms, and everything needed to be fixed for the pool to be opened,” she said.
“And it opened last year. It was amazing. And the community is in full support of this pool.”
DA councillor Bea Campbell-Cloete and lifeguard Jade Pillay say the Blairgowrie community renovated the facility, but municipal officials cite a shortage of lifeguards. Picture: Michel Bega
Campbell-Cloete said she was in talks with the director of sport and recreation, as well as the MMC, yesterday asking for this pool to be opened.
She was told that the pool cannot be opened because there are not enough lifeguards.
“My issue with this is that this pool specifically has got a lifeguard. So why can’t it be opened?” she said.
“Why is this community being penalised for doing the city’s job out of their own pockets? I will push for this pool to be opened.”
DA Joburg shadow MMC for community development Lyrics Mazibuko said the city has 57 public pools, yet just 36 are expected to open.
Mazibuko said that was unacceptable and demonstrates a failure of planning, maintenance and accountability.
“Residents should not be expected to accept that 21 public pools will be closed at the start of the swimming season,” he said.
“These facilities are essential community infrastructure, particularly for children, young people and communities that depend on public recreational facilities.
“The explanation that the delay is due to health, safety and operational requirements cannot be used as a blanket excuse.
“These requirements are not unforeseen. The city knew for months that pools had to be maintained, inspected, staffed and prepared.”
Mazibuko said the city has already advertised seasonal positions for lifeguards, cashiers and cloakroom attendants, demonstrating that the staffing requirement was known well in advance.
The Florida North swimming pool is closed and half-empty on the first day of spring. Picture: Michel Bega
He said residents should not be expected to accept another month of delay and simply be told that the season will be extended into next April.
“An extended season does not compensate families, children, schools, swimming clubs, coaches and workers who are losing access and income now,” said Mazibuko.
“Public pools are essential community infrastructure, particularly in communities where residents cannot afford private recreational facilities.
“They are important for recreation, physical activity, swimming development, drowning prevention and youth programmes.”
Political analyst Sandile Swana said the municipality has a continuing liquidity crisis. “In other words, there is not enough cash in the city to run all the services or to maintain infrastructure”.
Swana said the impressive payment of R5.2 billion to Eskom has also meant that cash has been diverted away from other services.
“At the same time, the money coming in from City Power apparently is not even ring-fenced to make sure that at least the Eskom debt automatically stays paid up and up to date,” he said.
“The city has not given a breakdown to the public specifically of which aspects of the budget, whether it’s swimming pools, roads or whatever, from where they took the budget and diverted it towards paying Eskom.”
He said so far there is a financial report having come from the city, but clearly the situation was going to persist for quite some time.
He also said there was a need to hire competent people who would manage the finances properly.
“In other words, it doesn’t help to put more money into the municipality when nobody knows what they are doing,” said Swana.
“So, there must be proper professional management on the engineering side, the financial side and all aspects, the legal side, the permitting, everything must be efficient.”
